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Panasonic ZS100 vs Sony RX1 Comparison

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Panasonic ZS100

20 MP | 1″ (13.2 x 8.8 mm) MOS Sensor

Panasonic ZS100
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Sony RX1

24 MP | Full frame (35.8 x 23.8 mm) CMOS Sensor

Sony RX1
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Panasonic ZS100 vs Sony RX1 Comparison Overview

In this review, we will be comparing ZS100 and RX1, two Large Sensor Compact cameras from Panasonic and Sony. Panasonic ZS100 has a 20.0MP 1" sensor whereas Sony RX1 has a 24.0MP Full frame sensor. Panasonic ZS100 was introduced to market in January 2016 and Sony RX1 was launched in February 2013. As you can see, RX1 is 3 years older than ZS100. Let's see if this age difference between two cameras makes a big difference.

We can expect this to be a close match up because both models are ranked amongst the best in Large Sensor Compact cameras. Out of 63 cameras in this class, Panasonic ZS100 is ranked #7 with an overall score of 70 and Sony RX1 is ranked #9 with an overall score of 69.

Here is a brief look at the main features of Panasonic ZS100 and Sony RX1 before getting into our more detailed comparison.

Panasonic ZS100 Key Specs

  • Announcement Date: 2016-01-05
  • 20MP - 1" MOS Sensor
  • ISO 125 - 12800 ( expands to 80-25600)
  • 25-250 mm F2.8-5.9 Zoom Lens
  • Optical Image Stabilization
  • 3" Fixed Type Screen
  • 1166k dot Electronic viewfinder
  • 9.9 fps continuous shooting
  • 4K (UHD) - 3840 x 2160 video resolution
  • Built-in Wireless
  • 312g. 111 x 65 x 44 mm
  • Also known as Lumix DMC-TZ100

Sony RX1 Key Specs

  • Announcement Date: 2013-02-19
  • 24MP - Full frame CMOS Sensor
  • ISO 100 - 25600
  • 35 mm f2.00 Prime Lens
  • 3" Fixed Type Screen
  • 5 fps continuous shooting
  • Full HD - 1920 x 1080 video resolution
  • 482g. 113 x 65 x 70 mm

Panasonic ZS100 was replaced by Panasonic Lumix DC-ZS200. You may also be interested in these comparisons:
Panasonic Lumix DC-ZS200 vs Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS100 (Lumix DMC-TZ100)
Panasonic Lumix DC-ZS200 vs Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX1

Let's read on the following sections in order to better understand in detail how Panasonic ZS100 and Sony RX1 compares and hopefully end up with enough arguments to decide which one is better for you.

Reasons to choose Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS100 over Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX1
Wireless Connection
Built-In vs Eye-Fi Connected Better connectivity
Image Stabilization
Optical vs None Sharper images at longer focal lengths and long exposures
Touch Screen
Yes vs No Easy control of camera functions
Viewfinder
Electronic vs Electronic (Optional) Better framing and control
Number of Focus Points
49 vs 25 24 more focus points
Continuous Shooting
9.9fps vs 5.0fps 4.9 fps faster
Battery Life
300 shots vs 270 shots 30 more frames with a single charge
Weight
312 g vs 482 g 170 g lighter
Timelapse Recording
Yes vs No creative shooting
Focal Length - Wide
25mm vs 35mm 10 mm wider coverage
Focal Length - Tele
250mm vs 35mm 215 mm longer tele reach
Optical Zoom
10x vs 1x more flexible focal coverage
Flash Coverage
8.0m vs 6.0m 2m longer range
Max Video Resolution
3840 x 2160 vs 1920 x 1080 Higher Resolution Video
4K Photo Mode
Yes vs No Extract 8MP photos from 4K Video
Post Focus Mode
Yes vs No Change focus point after taking a shot
Smartphone Remote
Yes vs No Remote control your camera with a smartphone


Reasons to choose Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX1 over Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS100
External Flash Shoe
Yes vs No Better for flash photography
Max Sensor Resolution
24 MP vs 20 MP 19% more pixels
Max ISO
25.600 vs 12.800 100% higher Max ISO
LCD Screen Resolution
1.229k dots vs 1.040k dots 18% higher resolution screen
Max Mech. Shutter
1/4000s vs 1/2000s faster mechanical shutter
Microphone Port
Yes vs No High quality audio recording option
Max Aperture - Wide
2.00 vs 2.80 faster lens at wide
Max Aperture - Tele
2.00 vs 5.90 faster lens at tele
Color Depth
25.1 vs 22.8 higher color depth
Dynamic Range
14.3 vs 12.5 higher dynamic range
Low Light ISO
2534 vs 559 better High ISO performance
Sensor Pixel Area
35.50µm2 vs 5.82µm2 509% larger pixel area

Common Strengths of Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS100 and Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX1
Built-in Flash
Yes vs Yes Useful in low-light
RAW Support
Yes vs Yes Better image quality
Face Detection Focus
Yes vs Yes very handy for portraits
Max Resolution
20 MP vs 24 MP Bigger prints and more details
LCD Screen Resolution
1.040k dots vs 1.229k dots High resolution screens
Manual Focusing
Yes vs Yes both have manual focusing modes
Manual Exposure
Yes vs Yes better exposure control
AE Bracketing
Yes vs Yes Useful for tough lighting conditions and HDR
Common Weaknesses of Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS100 and Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX1
Fixed Screen
Fixed Type vs No No flexible viewing angles
Environmental Sealing
No vs No not suitable for tough conditions
Panasonic ZS100 vs Sony RX1: Physical Specs and Body features Comparison

Size and weight is a big decision factor when you are trying to find the ideal camera for your needs. In this section, We are going to illustrate Panasonic ZS100 and Sony RX1 side-by-side from the front, back and top in their relative dimensions. Panasonic ZS100 has external dimensions of 111 x 65 x 44 mm (4.37 x 2.56 x 1.73″) and weighs 312 g (0.69 lb / 11.01 oz) (including batteries). Sony RX1 has external dimensions of 113 x 65 x 70 mm (4.45 x 2.56 x 2.76″) and weighs 482 g (1.06 lb / 17.00 oz) (including batteries).

Below you can see the front view size comparison of Panasonic ZS100 and Sony RX1. Panasonic ZS100 is 2mm narrower and 26mm thinner than Panasonic ZS100 but they have the same height of 65mm.

Panasonic ZS100 vs Sony RX1 Camera Size Comparison - Front View
Comparison image of Panasonic ZS100 and Sony RX1 Size, Weight and External Dimensions - Front View

Now lets look at the top view comparison of Panasonic ZS100 and Sony RX1.
Panasonic ZS100 vs Sony RX1 Camera Size Comparison - Top View
Top View Comparison image of Panasonic ZS100 and Sony RX1 Size

Weight is another important factor especially when deciding on a camera that you want to carry with you all day. Panasonic ZS100 is significantly lighter (170g ) than the Sony RX1 which may become a big advantage especially on long walking trips.

Weight Comparison

Compact Cameras

ZS100
RX1
Min
Average
Max
Thickness Comparison

Compact Cameras

ZS100
RX1
Min
Average
Max

Weather Sealing

Unfortunately neither Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS100 (Lumix DMC-TZ100) nor Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX1 provides any type of weather sealing in their body, so you have to give extra care especially when you are shooting outdoors. If weather sealing is a must-have feature for you, check these sections:
Top Compact Cameras with Weather Sealing

LCD Screen Size and Features

Panasonic ZS100 and Sony RX1's LCD screens has the same diagonal size of 3".

Unfortunately, both cameras has fixed screens so they don't tilt or flip in directions.
Panasonic ZS100 vs Sony RX1: Sensor Comparison

Panasonic ZS100 has a 20.0MP 1" (13.2 x 8.8 mm ) sized MOS sensor and features Venus Engine processor. On the other hand, Sony RX1 has a 24.0MP Full frame (35.8 x 23.8 mm ) sized CMOS sensor .

Below you can see the ZS100 and RX1 sensor size comparison.

Panasonic ZS100 vs Sony RX1 Sensor Size Comparison
Sensor Size and Resolution Comparison image of Panasonic ZS100 and Sony RX1 Cameras


As seen above, Sony RX1 has a 7.3x Larger sensor area than Panasonic ZS100. Larger sensors give photographer more control on the depth of field and blurry background compared to smaller sensor when shot in same focal length and aperture.

DxOMark Sensor Scores

DxOMark is a benchmark that scientifically assesses image quality of camera sensors. It scores camera sensors for color depth (DXO Portrait), dynamic range (DXO Landscape) and low-light sensitivity (DXO Sports), and also gives them an overall score. Panasonic ZS100 and Sony RX1 sensors have been tested by DxO and the results show that RX1 has a better overall score of 93, 23 points higher compared to ZS100's score of 70.

Model Overall Color Depth Dynamic Range Low-light ISO
Panasonic ZS100 70 22.8 bits 12.5 Evs 559 ISO
Sony RX1 93 25.1 bits 14.3 Evs 2534 ISO
Panasonic ZS100 vs Sony RX1 Lens Specs Comparison

Panasonic ZS100 features a 25-250 mm F2.8-5.9 10x zoom lens whereas Sony RX1 features a 35 mm F2.0-22.0 Prime lens.

It is not easy to compare a prime lens with a zoom lens. Panasonic ZS100's zoom lens provides a great flexibility compared to Sony RX1's 35mm fixed focal length lens. On the other hand, RX1's prime lens makes it a specialized camera. You compromise the flexibility of a zoom in order to enjoy the high image quality and unique rendering of this fast lens. On the tele end, Panasonic ZS100 has 215mm longer reach than the Sony RX1. However, with a max aperture of f2.00, Sony RX1 is faster at tele end.

Wide Coverage

Large Sensor Compact Cameras

ZS100
RX1
Widest - Canon G1 X II
Average
Telezoom

Large Sensor Compact Cameras

ZS100
RX1
Longest - Panasonic ZS200
Average
Max Aperture at Tele

Large Sensor Compact Cameras

ZS100
RX1
Fastest - Leica Q
Average
Max Aperture at Wide

Large Sensor Compact Cameras

ZS100
RX1
Fastest - Panasonic LX10
Average
What types of Photography are Panasonic ZS100 and Sony RX1 Good for?
In this section, we rank and compare Panasonic ZS100 and Sony RX1 for five different photography types in order to make your decision process easier in case you are specifically interested in one or more of these areas.

Panasonic ZS100 for Portrait Photography

AVERAGE

Sony RX1 for Portrait Photography

GOOD
Average sized 1″ (13.2 x 8.8 mm) sensor
Very High Resolution Sensor: 20.0MP
Image Stabilization
RAW shooting capability
Electronic Built-in Viewfinder
Manual Focus Mode
Manual Exposure Mode
No External Flash Shoe
Not so good Ergonomics&Handling
Read the details
Large Full frame (35.8 x 23.8 mm) sensor
Very High Resolution Sensor: 24.0MP
RAW shooting capability
External Flash Shoe
Manual Focus Mode
Manual Exposure Mode
Optional External Viewfinder
No Image Stabilization
Not so good Ergonomics&Handling
Read the details

Panasonic ZS100 for Street Photography

EXCELLENT

Sony RX1 for Street Photography

GOOD
Image Stabilization
RAW shooting capability
Electronic Built-in Viewfinder
Manual Focus Mode
Small Body
Live-view
Face-Detection Focusing
Fast Lens at Wide: f2.80
25 mm - Good Wide Angle Coverage
Average sized 1″ (13.2 x 8.8 mm) sensor
Read the details
Large Full frame (35.8 x 23.8 mm) sensor
RAW shooting capability
Manual Focus Mode
Small Body
Live-view
Face-Detection Focusing
Fast Lens at Wide: f2.00
Optional External Viewfinder
No Image Stabilization
35 mm - Poor Wide Angle Coverage
Read the details

Panasonic ZS100 for Sports Photography

AVERAGE

Sony RX1 for Sports Photography

AVERAGE
Image Stabilization
RAW shooting capability
Electronic Built-in Viewfinder
Manual Focus Mode
Manual Exposure Mode
Fast Continuous Shooting: 9.9fps
49 Focus Points
Wireless Connection
250 mm Tele Lens
Average Max shutter speed: 1/2000s
No External Flash Shoe
Not so good Ergonomics&Handling
Environmental Sealings
Slow Lens at Tele: f5.90
Read the details
RAW shooting capability
External Flash Shoe
Manual Focus Mode
Manual Exposure Mode
Fast Max shutter speed: 1/4000s
25 Focus Points
Good Low Light ISO
Optional External Viewfinder
Average Continuous Shooting: 5.0fps
No Image Stabilization
Not so good Ergonomics&Handling
Environmental Sealings
Poor Battery Life: 270 shots
35 mm Tele Lens
Read the details

Panasonic ZS100 for Daily Photography

GOOD

Sony RX1 for Daily Photography

EXCELLENT
RAW shooting capability
Compact Body
10.0X Optical Zoom
Average sized 1″ (13.2 x 8.8 mm) sensor
312g
Body Thickness 44mm
Read the details
Large Full frame (35.8 x 23.8 mm) sensor
RAW shooting capability
Compact Body
482g
Body Thickness 70mm
Read the details

Panasonic ZS100 for Landscape Photography

AVERAGE

Sony RX1 for Landscape Photography

AVERAGE
Very High Resolution Sensor: 20.0MP
RAW shooting capability
Manual Focus Mode
Manual Exposure Mode
25 mm - Good Wide Angle Coverage
Average sized 1″ (13.2 x 8.8 mm) sensor
No Environmental Sealings
Read the details
Large Full frame (35.8 x 23.8 mm) sensor
Very High Resolution Sensor: 24.0MP
Manual Focus Mode
Manual Exposure Mode
No Environmental Sealings
35 mm - Poor Wide Angle Coverage
Read the details

Panasonic ZS100 vs Sony RX1: OUR DECISION

You may have already made your decision about which camera suits better for your needs and your budget so far but in case you wonder how we rated Panasonic ZS100 and Sony RX1, below you can find their scores in five different aspects. Our Decision Algorithm dynamically scores cameras using 63 different specs, current price and DxO Mark scores (where possible) in order to make a more objective and consistent comparison.

Here is a summary of how Panasonic ZS100 and Sony RX1 scores compare:

Panasonic ZS100
Imaging
Features
Value
Portability
Overall
Ranked #7 out of 61 in Large Sensor Compact cameras
Ranked #151 out of 1220 in all Cameras
Sony RX1
Imaging
Features
Value
Portability
Overall
Ranked #9 out of 61 in Large sensor compact cameras
Ranked #170 out of 1220 in all Cameras

Panasonic ZS100 has a higher Overall Score than the Sony RX1. It also has more features, more compact body and offers higher value for the money. But there is one area that ZS100 trails behind the RX1: Imaging.
If image quality is the most important aspect in a camera, choose the Sony RX1. If not, we recommend the Panasonic ZS100.

Panasonic ZS100
Panasonic ZS100
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Sony RX1
Sony RX1
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Sony RX1 vs Panasonic ZS100 Specs Table
Detailed comparison of specifications
General Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS100 Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX1
Brand Panasonic Sony
Announced 2016-01-05 2013-02-19
Body Type Large Sensor Compact Large sensor compact
Sensor
Type MOS CMOS
Size 1" Full frame
Dimensions 13.2 x 8.8 mm 35.8 x 23.8 mm
Area 116.16mm2 852.04mm2
Megapixels 20 megapixels 24 megapixels
Max Resolution 5472 x 3648 6000 x 4000
Max Native Light sensitivity 12,800 ISO 25,600 ISO
Max Boosted Light Sensitivity 25600 ISO -
Min Native Light sensitivity 125 ISO 100 ISO
Min Boosted Light Sensitivity 80 ISO -
RAW Support
Autofocus
AF Touch
AF Continuous
AF Single
AF Tracking
AF Selective
AF Center
AF Multi Area
AF Live View
AF Face Detection
AF Contrast Detection
AF Phase Detection
Number of Focus Points 49 25
Lens
Manual Focus
Lens Mount fixed lens fixed lens
Lens Focal Range 25-250 mm (10x) 35 mm (1x)
Max Aperture F2.8-5.9 F2.0-22.0
Macro Focus Range 5cm n/a
Screen
Type Fixed type Fixed type
Size 3" 3"
Resolution 1,040k dots 1,229k dots
Touch Screen
Viewfinder
Viewfinder Electronic Electronic and Optical (optional)
Viewfinder Resolution 1,166k dots no electronic viewfinder
Viewfinder Coverage 100% n/a
Viewfinder Magnification 0.46x n/a
Photography Features
Max Mechanical Shutter 1/2000s 1/4000s
Max Electronic Shutter 1/16000s n/a
Shutter Priority
Aperture Priority
Manual Exposure Mode
Custom White Balance
Image Stabilization Optical No
Built-in Flash
Flash Range 8.00 m (at Auto ISO) 6.00 m
Max Flash Sync n/a 1/4000s
External Flash
Continuous Shooting 9.9 fps 5.0 fps
Multi-Segment
Average
Spot
Partial
AF-Area
Center Weighted
AE Bracketing
WB Bracketing
Video Features
Max Video Resolution 3840 x 2160 1920 x 1080
Video Formats MPEG-4, AVCHD MPEG-4, AVCHD
Microphone Port
Headphone Port
Connectivity
Wireless Connectivity Built-In Eye-Fi Connected
HDMI
Physical
Environmental Sealing
Weight 312g 482g
Dimensions 111 x 65 x 44mm 113 x 65 x 70mm
Battery Life 300 shots 270 shots
Other Features
Timelapse Recording
GPS None None
DxO Sensor Scores
DxO Overall Score 70 93
DxO Color Depth 22.8 25.1
DxO Dynamic Range 12.5 14.3
DxO Low Light ISO 559 2534
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